I am still perplexed by the offside call on that hard count. The defender flinched but the ball had not been snapped and he is allowed to get back on his side. The Colts OL immediately stands up and points. Why was that not a false start? That glare was crappy though. The first quarter was almost unwatchable on TV with the light and dark spots on the field.

Using Colts as examples is meaningless. Its their field, they practice there, they know the angles, they're comfortable there, etc etc etc. Even if none of that were true, pointing to the numbers of those players says nothing about their numbers on balls dropping out of a sunny sky. For all we know they dropped plenty of those too.

CAVSTRIBEBROWNSin07! wrote:Using Colts as examples is meaningless. Its their field, they practice there, they know the angles, they're comfortable there, etc etc etc. Even if none of that were true, pointing to the numbers of those players says nothing about their numbers on balls dropping out of a sunny sky. For all we know they dropped plenty of those too.

They practice there? They don't practice there any more than the Browns practice at CBS. They don't play preseason games there on Sundays in October any more often than the Browns play preseason games at CBS on Sundays in October (although many October Browns games at CBS seem like preseason games).

I'm wondering why we blame the sun when the player himself says it wasn't a factor and he simply, inexcusably dropped the football.

That's actually rhetorical. I know why we do it. We prefer justifying the drop instead of calling it what it was and moving on.

I will guarantee that had Little dropped that ball the sun as an excuse would have been way down the list of reasons for the drop.

Little and Gordon are young, inexperienced players whose heads are swimming with details and responsibilities. They're thinking through routes and they're only occasionally playing free and easy. Not an excuse, just reality.

When fans start understanding and stating what's real instead of what they wish for then I'll make sure to note that as well.

90% of the time what Kevin Harlan and Solomon Wilcots have to say is mocked by most of the people here or ignored because they blow. When they say something that excuses a drop or rationalizes a mistake we cling to it like a blankie if it fits what we want to believe. Because it makes us feel better. Not necessarily because it's true.

Gradysmanldy wrote:To be frank, i'm just concerned that Gordon will go the route of Little; I don't want to see him go through a period of the dropsies, when we've already got one guy fighting his way through it.

(And to be honest, Little should have made that TD catch without having to tip it to himself first) At least Little has made it through 2 games without any game breaking drops.

Yep- Little should have had that ball without the tip. What gives me faith in Gordon is that first TD catch, where he caught that ball with his hands, textbook style, on a tremendous throw.

It's just one of many examples you can find in the first seven games if you're looking for a throw that McCoy simply can't make and why you have to hope that Weeden continues to improve on some other issues. That throw and play was a perfect example of what he can bring to the table.

Honestly, for me, Gordon's drop was more surprising than the textbook catch earlier because I believe he's ahead of Little in that department anyway. His hands are better.

The drop was more the anomaly than that TD catch and the TD catch was a much tougher play.

And BTW, and I haven't really hit on it much because I'm not sure it's the exception or the norm (or if teams are content to cover vs pin their ears back and go after Weeden), but the OL has been stellar in pass protection the last few weeks. Against the Giants, Bengals and Colts. And all those teams (though the Colts are banged up) can apply some pressure.

I have to believe it's mostly the OL though, because teams usually will salivate going after a rookie QB with the tag of being less than mobile in the pocket and less than calm under duress.

Love child of shawn kemp wrote:I am still perplexed by the offside call on that hard count. The defender flinched but the ball had not been snapped and he is allowed to get back on his side. The Colts OL immediately stands up and points. Why was that not a false start? That glare was crappy though. The first quarter was almost unwatchable on TV with the light and dark spots on the field.

If the movement of a defender causes an offensive lineman to move, it is on the defense. For a while now. Which is what the call was.

The part that confused me is, other than at Colt McCoy's birthday parties, I thought the head bob was illegal.

Love child of shawn kemp wrote:I am still perplexed by the offside call on that hard count. The defender flinched but the ball had not been snapped and he is allowed to get back on his side. The Colts OL immediately stands up and points. Why was that not a false start? That glare was crappy though. The first quarter was almost unwatchable on TV with the light and dark spots on the field.

If the movement of a defender causes an offensive lineman to move, it is on the defense. For a while now. Which is what the call was.

The part that confused me is, other than at Colt McCoy's birthday parties, I thought the head bob was illegal.

Meh.

Every QB in the league moves their head when calling out their cadence, etc. And if Billy Wynn and/or Tank Carder and/or Phil Taylor are watching the QB's head instead of the freaking football while lined up on the ball and on the defensive line, well, then they deserve what they get.

I don't care if Luck's head is bobbing like a whore's on Saturday night. Watch the effing football. It ain't lying.

Love child of shawn kemp wrote:I am still perplexed by the offside call on that hard count. The defender flinched but the ball had not been snapped and he is allowed to get back on his side. The Colts OL immediately stands up and points. Why was that not a false start? That glare was crappy though. The first quarter was almost unwatchable on TV with the light and dark spots on the field.

If the movement of a defender causes an offensive lineman to move, it is on the defense. For a while now. Which is what the call was.

The part that confused me is, other than at Colt McCoy's birthday parties, I thought the head bob was illegal.

Meh.

Every QB in the league moves their head when calling out their cadence, etc. And if Billy Wynn and/or Tank Carder and/or Phil Taylor are watching the QB's head instead of the freaking football while lined up on the ball and on the defensive line, well, then they deserve what they get.

I don't care if Luck's head is bobbing like a whore's on Saturday night. Watch the effing football. It ain't lying.

Wasn't an apology or an excuse...just an observation. I can remember a day when it was a "point of emphasis". And many QB were called for it. Then it seemed to fade. Now we have the defender moving causing the OL to move so the OL are being taught to react.

CAVSTRIBEBROWNSin07! wrote:Using Colts as examples is meaningless. Its their field, they practice there, they know the angles, they're comfortable there, etc etc etc. Even if none of that were true, pointing to the numbers of those players says nothing about their numbers on balls dropping out of a sunny sky. For all we know they dropped plenty of those too.

They practice there? They don't practice there any more than the Browns practice at CBS. They don't play preseason games there on Sundays in October any more often than the Browns play preseason games at CBS on Sundays in October (although many October Browns games at CBS seem like preseason games).

I'm wondering why we blame the sun when the player himself says it wasn't a factor and he simply, inexcusably dropped the football.

That's actually rhetorical. I know why we do it. We prefer justifying the drop instead of calling it what it was and moving on.

I will guarantee that had Little dropped that ball the sun as an excuse would have been way down the list of reasons for the drop.

Speaking of home field advantage, well sort of. I never understood why it is taken for granted that we have the advantage in snow and cold weather when the majority of the roster at any given time is not from the North and have never seen snow.

If we kept players longer than 3 years (ie, if they didn't suck) they'd get used to it, and it would be an advantage. Full expect Weeds to crap the bed a few times this winter getting used to throwing it in the wind and rain and snow.

FMB: Wallace had 2 dropped TD's on Sunday night, and the Steelers didn't miss a beat for a moment. Just relentlessly kept coming. I want the offense to get to a point where that one dropped ball or interception doesn't ruin the game, and to get to that point, the offense has to get the ball back more frequently than it is. Seems SHUR is content every game to get to the 4th quarter with a one posession game and win a tight one vs. put points on the board early. Part of that is on the DC for failing to get any pressure to try to get a TO.

Peeks: Doesn't look like they're sending much at him, and a big part of that is how quickly he gets the ball out. He doesn't hold it for long unless he's going deep and needs the receiver to get downfield. Bet the Steelers bring a shitload.

Check me out at Dawgsbynature, where I write stuff, or @twitter as Josh Finney.

Gradysmanldy wrote:If we kept players longer than 3 years (ie, if they didn't suck) they'd get used to it, and it would be an advantage. Full expect Weeds to crap the bed a few times this winter getting used to throwing it in the wind and rain and snow.

I've been to Oklahoma twice, and it was snow and ice storms all the way through the state both times. Sure, that was in December and the college season was over, but I bet Weeds threw the ball around with his buddies on a winter day once or twice.

This is neither here nor there, especially because I firmly believe in the "If you touch it you should catch it" mantra, but if you watch the play, he'd already dropped the ball before entering the area where the sun was in his eyes.

Drops suck--bad (especially when the game's on the line); but he's a rookie, which is the only justification for making a mistake like that. These guys start catchin the ball and this is a pretty damn solid receiving corps, I think. Huge improvement from last year.